Geotimes January 1997 - About People

ABOUT PEOPLE

JANUARY 1997

DENNIS B. FENN, former deputy director of the National Biological Service (NBS), was appointed the first chief biologist for the U.S. Geological Survey in October. He will direct the agency's new Biological Resources Division, which was created when Congress integrated the NBS into the survey.

An Arizona native, Fenn earned a master's in soil chemistry and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Michigan State University. He joined the National Park Service as a soil scientist in 1972 and eventually served as its chief scientist. He worked on the formation of the NBS in 1993, and later transferred to the new agency.

The Association of Earth Science Editors (AESE) presented its 1996 Outstanding Publications Award to JOHN R. TESTER for Minnesota's Natural Heritage at the society's annual meeting in September.

AESE also inducted its 1997 officers: RUSSELL B. MERRILL, Ocean Drilling Program, president; CAROL A. HJELLMING, New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, vice president; KATHERINE B. LESSING, EG&G Technical Services of West Virginia, secretary-treasurer; and JOHN R. KEITH, U.S. Geological Survey, MINDY JAMES, Wisconsin Geological Survey, and FAITH E. ROGERS, Geological Society of America, directors.

The American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG) inducted its 1997 officers at the society's annual meeting in October. New officers are: JONATHAN G. PRICE, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, president; STEPHEN M. TESTA, Testa Environmental, president-elect; DENNIS PENNINGTON, National Environmental Technical Corp., vice president; ROBERT H. FAKUNDINY, New York State Geological Survey, secretary; ROBERT M. COLPITTS JR., consultant, treasurer; and J. DALE NATIONS, Northern Arizona University, editor.

The American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists 1997 executive committee took office in October. Officers are: GORDON D. WOOD, Amoco, president; ROLF W. MATHEWES, Simon Fraser University, president-elect; JAN JANSONIUS, Geological Survey of Canada, past president; DAVID T. POCKNALL, Amoco, secretary-treasurer; DAVID K. GOODMAN, Arco Alaska, managing editor; and DONALD W. ENGELHARDT, University of South Carolina, JOCELYNE A. LEGAULT, University of Waterloo, GRETCHEN JONES, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and JAVIER HELENES-ESCAMILLA, CICESE, directors-at-large.

JOHN W. CREASY, Bates College, and KAREN H. FRYER, Ohio Wesleyan University, are now serving as chairperson and secretary, respectively, of the Council on Undergraduate Research-Geology Division.

At its annual meeting in October, the Geological Society of America inducted its 1997 officers. They include: GEORGE A. THOMPSON, Stanford University, president; VICTOR R. BAKER, University of Arizona, vice president; DAVID E. DUNN, University of Texas, treasurer; and ELDRIDGE M. MOORES, University of California-Davis, past president.

The 1996-97 officers of the Association for Women Geoscientists are: ALLISON MARTIN KOZAK, HKS Environmental, president; ANNE CAVAZOS, president-elect; KATA MCCARVILLE, Colorado School of Mines, secretary; SARAH STOLL, treasurer; LINDA M. SCHIEBER, editor; and KAREN N. KAHLER, past president.

The Geoscience Information Society (GIS) inducted its 1996-97 officers in October: BARBARA DEFELICE, Dartmouth College, president; CONNIE MANSON, Washington Division of Natural Resources, vice president/president-elect; LISA DUNN, Colorado School of Mines, secretary; SALLY SCOTT, University of Wyoming, treasurer; and NANCY BLAIR, U.S. Geological Survey, past president.

GIS also recognized the following people for outstanding geoscience publications: THOMAS J. AHRENS, the Mary B. Ansari Best Geoscience Reference Work Award for A Handbook of Physical Constants; H.L. JAMES, the Best Guidebook Award for Geologic and Historic Guide to the Beartooth Highway; and RICHARD D. WALKER and MYEONGHEE LEE AHN, the Best Paper Award for "The literature cited by water resources researchers."

New officers for the International Association of Hydrogeologists/U.S. National Chapter are: P. PATRICK LEAHY, U.S. Geological Survey, chairperson; YORMAN ECKSTEIN, Kent State University, and COLIN J. BOOTH, Northern Illinois University, vice chairpersons; and JOHN F. HARSH, U.S. Geological Survey, secretary-treasurer.

The Mineralogical Society of America's 1997 council members include: DAVID R. VEBLEN, The Johns Hopkins University, president; E. BRUCE WATSON, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, vice president; BARB DUTROW, Louisiana State University, secretary; BROOKS HANSON, American Association for the Advancement of Science, treasurer; and GORDON E. BROWN JR., Stanford University, past president.

The society honored its 1996 award winners at its annual meeting in October: DONALD H. LINDSLEY, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Roebling Medal; ROBERT I. TILLING, U.S. Geological Survey, Public Service Award; and DONALD B. DINGWELL, Bayerisches Geoinstitut, MSA Award.